Short Summary

THE CENTRAL HALL OF INDIA'S PARLIAMENT, IN NEW DELHI, WAS PACKED WITH MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) FOR THE OPENING OF THE BUDGET SESSION BY PRESIDENT RADHAKRISHNAN.

Description

THE CENTRAL HALL OF INDIA'S PARLIAMENT, IN NEW DELHI, WAS PACKED WITH MEMBERS OF BOTH HOUSES YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) FOR THE OPENING OF THE BUDGET SESSION BY PRESIDENT RADHAKRISHNAN. THE PRESIDENT DROVE IN STATE TO PARLIAMENT HOUSE, AND TRUMPETS WERE SOUNDED AS HE ENTERED THE CENTRAL HALL IN PROCESSION.

IN HIS OPENING SPEECH, PRESIDENT RADHAKRISHNAN DEPLORED THE ACTS OF VIOLENCE IN SOUTHERN INDIA OVER THE PROPOSED INTRODUCTION OF HINDI AS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF INDIA. HE EXPRESSED HOPE THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S ASSURANCE ABOUT THE CONTINUANCE OF ENGLISH AS "AN ASSOCIATE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE AS LONG AS THE NON-HINDI-SPEAKING PEOPLE REQUIRE IT" WOULD ALLAY THE APPREHENSIONS OF THE PEOPLE.

PRESIDENT RADHAKRISHNAN ALSO REFERRED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF A SECOND NUCLEAR TEST IN THE NEAR FUTURE BY THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. HE ADDED THAT DESPITE THIS, INDIA WOULD NOT EMBARK ON THE MANUFACTURE OF ATOMIC WEAPONS BUT CONTINUE TO STRIVE FOR INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING TO ELIMINATE THE THREAT OF ATOMIC WAR.

(DURING THE BUDGET SESSION INDIA'S 10 PER CENT SURCHARGE ON NEARLY ALL IMPORTS WAS ANNOUNCED AS AN EMERGENCY MEASURE TO DEAL WITH THE COUNTRY'S FALL IN OVERSEAS RESERVES. THE FINANCE MINISTER, MR. KRISHNAMACHARI, ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT INDIA WAS ASKING THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND FOR "STAND-BY CREDIT TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE".)